UMd. Student Charged In Rampage Threat

Web Post: Rampage Would 'Kill Enough People To Make It To National News'

UPDATED 7:59 AM EDT Mar 13, 2012

COLLEGE PARK, Md. -

Acting on tips of a planned rampage to "kill as many people as possible," University of Maryland police arrested an honor student Sunday morning on charges of posting an Internet threat.

Campus police identified the student as Alexander Song, 19, of Fulton, who investigators said posted on the websites Reddit and Omegle plans for a rampage that would "kill enough people to make it to national news."

Song posted phrases like, "I will be on a shooting rampage tomorrow on campus." The message also warned people to "stay away from the mall tomorrow at 1:30."

At about 9:25 p.m. Saturday, campus police started to receive anonymous calls from around the country, including from Baltimore.

UMCP Police Chief David Mitchell said some people posted comments online, saying, "'Dude, if you're joking, you better speak up because you're scaring me, and I'm going to alert some authorities.'"

Police said they were able to figure out Song's Internet protocol address and track him to his dorm at Oakland Hall on campus, where he was arrested and taken to a hospital for a psychiatric evaluation.

"He was emotionally distraught to the point of shaking and crying, clearly in need of some psychiatric assistance," Mitchell said.

Residents of Oakland Hall who knew Song said he kept to himself. They said officers were called to Song's dorm room last Saturday for a noise complaint. Police said Song told the officers he was "stressed out" at the time, and that he said the same thing when he was arrested.

"All I know is he walks really quickly and tends to look down. I've seen him with a couple groups of friends, in which case, his pace is slower, but by himself, he doesn't talk to anyone," said Grace Bolomope, a resident of Oakland Hall.

Warrants were served to Song's dorm room, as well as his parents' house in Fulton, Howard County. WBAL-TV 11 News knocked on the door at Song's parents' house, but no one answered. Police said no weapons were recovered, just Song's laptop computer.

Song, who was not armed when he was arrested, faces a misdemeanor charge of disturbing school activities. The misdemeanor charge is punishable by a maximum fine of $2,500 and/or a maximum six-month jail sentence.

Some students expressed concern that they should have been notified sooner.

"I found out about it Sunday night. To find out it happened Sunday at 10 a.m., what if I wandered out to the mall at 1:30 when he said that he was going to do something?" said Jack Feeley, a student.

Police said they had the whole situation under control from the beginning and did not want to panic students and staff.

"We felt that we had the situation contained, and the last thing we wanted to do was alert the campus -- including Mr. Song -- that we were looking for him, and cause an event," Mitchell said.

University officials have suspended Song, who is no longer allowed on campus pending a review.